Triumphant Freedom

Overview of Earlier Colossians Bible Studies

Through the first eleven Bible studies of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we’ve learned of the background of the letter to the Colossians and have studied Colossians 1:1-2:10. The study called Background of Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae taught us about the cultural, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of Asia minor that affected the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea. We learned how Paul identified himself and Timothy with the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea and helped those Christians identify with them in the Bible study titled Identification. In the Bible study called Thanksgiving in Colossians, Paul thanked God for the Christians in these cities. He continued his prayer, as studied in Glorious Might, by asking God to give the Colossian and Laodicean churches His spiritual wisdom and understanding so they would bear fruit in good works. Paul continued to intercede for the believers to God asking Him to strengthen them with power, steadfastness, and patience, and that they joyously give thanks to Him.

In Colossians 1:13-20, Paul told about God and Jesus Christ, and how Jesus’s sacrifice is enough for salvation. He taught in the study titled Snatched and Delivered that the Father is the one who rescues believers and transfers them to Jesus for salvation. Paul explained Christology in Colossians 1:15-20. Jesus is the exact embodiment of the Godhead, Paul informed them, as written about in Superabundant Peace. The study titled Attaining Hope covers Colossians 1:21-23 and shows how Paul used if… then clauses  as a teaching tool. With this technique, he explained who the Christians were before their salvation by Jesus and then what Jesus would do if they exercised the faith God gave them. If the people would believe in Jesus, He would save them from their sins and death. Paul continued speaking about God in Colossians 1:24-29. In this passage, he told of his calling by Jesus and his stewardship to God. Paul explained that Jesus told him to proclaim the “mystery of God,” Jesus Christ is for all people, not just for the Jews. Jesus died to cleanse people from their sins and give salvation from sin and death to each person who trusts in Him. Paul taught God calls to people with gentle persuasion. Later he would contrast the way and purpose of God’s calling with the false teachers’ method of proclamation. The study titled God's Power and Gentle Persuasion teaches about Colossians 1:24-29.

In Colossians 2:1-5, Paul returned to a favorite topic of his, rejoicing while or because of suffering. In this passage, he showed his pastoral care and concern for the Colossian and Laodicean Christians as noted in the Bible study titled Rejoicing During Trials. Paul encouraged the Christians to stand strong and unified in love so they would attain “to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, Jesus Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3 [NASB]). He taught this so the false teachers would not trick the Christians with persuasive arguments and would not delude them about the surety of their salvation and their hope of glory. Paul continued to remind the Colossian and Laodicean churches of their salvation by Jesus through faith in Him. In Overflowing Gratefulness, He told these believers that because they trusted in Jesus and received salvation from Him, they could know they were rooted firmly in Him. Paul told them that though their salvation was in the past, they were to continue being rooted in Christ, being built up, and being established in their faith. These present continuous verbs showed growth as a Christian happens throughout a person’s life and comes from an active staying in a close relationship with God. Salvation happens at a point in time, but growth and sanctification should be the continuous aim of each believer.

With Colossians 2:8-10, Paul taught more about the “mystery of God” of which he wrote in Colossians 1:26. He taught in depth about the philosophical thoughts the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea faced in Colossians 2:8-10. Paul taught that the false teachers proclaimed human, empty, and deceptive philosophies that came from the elementary principles of the world. He contrasted them with Christ’s teachings that came from His full divinity and made believers complete. Paul wrote Jesus Christ is head over all rule and authority. The Bible study called Freedom from Deception teaches about this passage.

The Fullness of Christ in Believers

With Colossians 2:11-15, Paul explained about the completion Jesus gives. He taught in six statements what each believer receives through the fullness of Christ when He completes him or her. The surety of salvation through and power from Jesus, through His indwelling Spirit, gives each Christian the ability to reject teachings of philosophy from men and women that offer nothing compared to the superabundant fullness, the completion and perfection, that comes from Christ.

Spiritual Circumcision occurs by Jesus Christ

“… and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision (performed by) of Christ.” (Colossians 2:11 [NASB])

This verse written by Paul speaks of one law Moses gave to the Israelites, the circumcision of a son on the eighth day of his life. Paul brought this up to highlight two important things about the Colossian and Laodicean Christians and each Gentile believer; they were not Jews. They did not have the privilege of sonship or daughtership of God under the Mosaic law. Gentiles are not part of the people of God because of their non-Hebrew lineage. From this, the Gentile people understood they were outside the law and outside God’s old covenant. Twice in chapters one and two, Paul told them of the mystery he received from God to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. In these two Bible passages, people can understand the salvation from Jesus is for each person born in and outside the people of Israel.

When we look at the Greek words of this verse, we realize Paul meant, “In Christ, you also received the sign of circumcision from Him that shows your dedication to Him, your eradicating the fleshly desires with His power and strength, and His removal of your sins. God, not man, does this circumcision. Instead of the foreskin being removed, God removes the from the body the human nature that alienates each person from Him.” Each Gentile experienced alienation from God in two ways, by non-Jewish birth (covenant) and by fleshly sins (law). Yet, Christ, by His death and resurrection, made a relationship with God possible for each person who lives. Because Gentile Christians had not received circumcision by human hands, that did not mean they needed it when they became Christians. Paul said their God circumcised their hearts when they trusted in Jesus Christ, as the Son of God.

Jesus, with His death and resurrection, broke down the two walls between God and Gentiles, the walls of ancestry and sin. His death and resurrection provides the circumcision each believer needs to be in a covenant relationship with God. God gave the Mosaic law to lead people to Him. The Messianic covenant provides access to and relationship with God through salvation and reconciliation. The Mosaic law did not reconcile people to God. Sacrifices required in it did not remove a person’s sins and empower them to avoid sin. It reminded them of their sinfulness, but they still felt guilt for those sins.

With verse eleven, Paul taught against the false teachers who reasoned that the body and all material things were evil and all things spiritual were good. To them, circumcision and uncircumcision did not matter in the long run since it occurred to the body. To say Jesus gave a spiritual circumcision was laughable to them since Jesus lived in bodily form and, in their minds, was not God.

Spiritual Circumcision is Baptism

“… having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12 [NASB])

With verse twelve, Paul used a death-resurrection metaphor to explain how a believer’s spiritual circumcision is their baptism in Christ. The two actions of dying/being buried and then rising to new life relate to immersion baptism and circumcision. Immersion baptism, going down into water and then rising above it, is dying to self and rising to Christ.

When a person trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, that person dies to him or herself, to fleshly, human desires, and rises to newness of life given through Him. This reflects Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection to life. Baptism symbolizes this death and new life. The spiritual circumcision Christ gives is His removing the sins of each person, those who die to his or her right to him or herself, from the sin-hardened heart. That reflects the dying to self and gaining new life in Christ when He removes the hard part. The removal of sins from each believer allows a right relationship with God. Jesus reconciles that believer to God.

Each person knows he or she sins. He or she carries the guilt of it. When the person faces his or her sinfulness, the guilt weighs on him or her. A person’s recognition of his or her sin and feeling the weight of that burden separating him or her from God is the way a person shares in Christ’s suffering on the cross. Jesus carried the weight of each person’s sins. The believer bore the weight of his or her sins. Jesus’ death took the weight of sin away and the person’s repentance, getting right with God, took the weight off him or herself. (Galatians 2:20 speaks of Paul’s understanding of being crucified with Christ and living his life with Christ living in him.) This reflects the initial part of baptism and circumcision, carrying of the weight of sins, realizing one’s separation from God.

Paul taught repentance and dying to self is a person’s burial together with Christ. The next part of immersion baptism, going down into the water, reflects repentance and giving up one’s right to his or her life to God for His purposes. Spiritual circumcision of the heart conveys the same thing. Only Jesus can do both actions-spiritual baptism and spiritual circumcision. He will not demand them, but only does this upon a person giving his or her life to Him.

Jesus’ resurrection expresses another part of baptism and circumcision, the arising. With baptism, a person must rise from the water after being immersed in it. This rising up is rising to new life in Christ. Just as Jesus came back to life after bodily death, a believer comes to life after being dead because of sins. The spiritual circumcision Christ gives to each believer is the removing of the hardened skin from his or her heart that occurred because of sin and gave a hardened heart. With spiritual circumcision, the heart can beat with God’s heart and will.

Both spiritual baptism and spiritual circumcision express the new life Christ gives by His victory over sin and death. Jesus victoriously reigns and gives each believer this victory upon repentance and death to his or her old way of living. The Christian lives a new life in God’s will with His wisdom, knowledge, power, and strength through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Spiritual circumcision and spiritual baptism are synonymous. They express death to the old way of living and resurrection to new life in Christ. This Christian life continues throughout the person’s lifetime. It begins at the moment in time when a person trusts in Jesus as Savior and repents of his or her sins. It carries on throughout the person’s life as he or she lives growing to know God more and become made more in the image of Christ each day. Christ will perfect the person upon entrance into His kingdom upon the Christian’s death. Until then, each Christian has the fullness of Jesus available to live each day walking with Him and growing to be more like Him. Paul made sure Gentiles knew Christ died for them, too, by his declaring the mystery of God, salvation for all people through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

Paul taught that the false teachers of that time did not understand bodies could return to life. They considered bodies evil. These false teachers thought each person’s goal was to rise to a state of spirituality. Bodies were unable to be spiritual. Since this was impossible, in their reasoning, Jesus could not save people from death or sins. Paul taught otherwise when He said God raised Jesus from the dead and His death and resurrection allows His followers to have resurrection life.

Covenant Relationship comes by Jesus

“When you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him (Christ)…” (Colossians 2:13a [NASB])

Once again, Paul returned to what had been the Colossian and Laodicean Christians’ obstacles to having a relationship with God. They were not Hebrews, and they were sinners. Paul said, because they had these two barriers between themselves and God, they were dead. This “dead” Paul used means spiritually dead and not devoted to God, but to sinning. From verses eleven and twelve, we understand the Colossians and Laodiceans were not Jews before becoming followers of Jesus. They were uncircumcised Gentiles. Because of that, they were not in a covenant relationship with God. These Christians were dead because of their sins and uncircumcision before they believed in Jesus Christ. They had been hostile to God because they and separated themselves from His divine influence. Yet, God had a plan. He made them and each person who believed in Jesus alive through Christ.

Nothing the Gentiles were able to do would earn them a reprieve from their just punishment. Nothing could make them Jews. They had a double strike against them. It seemed to obstruct any possible relationship with God. Those human issues did not stop God. He loves each person. God had a plan to reestablish a relationship with each person since before He created the world.

With this verse, Paul aimed at the false teachers in Colossae and Laodicea. As stated earlier, they did not believe in bodily resurrection. These teachers also did not believe God intervened in the lives of people. He was too distant from humanity. For them, God was always transcendent, never imminent. Yet, Paul taught God wants a relationship with each person, about which the Gnostics scoffed. The Christians in these two cities received this reminder from Paul so they would stand strong in their faith.

Assured Forgiveness comes through Christ

“… having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13b-14 [NASB])

In this verse, Paul wrote of two things Christ gives superabundantly to His believers. Christ gives assurance of forgiveness and He gives freedom from the law. Jesus forgives a believer of his or her sins. He cancels the debt certificate of sin. Jesus Christ erases the judgment against the Christian the law requires.

The separation from God for the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea had occurred because of sins and ancestry, Paul said. God’s plan made a way for that to change because He loves each person. Did this plan involve people doing certain things to receive forgiveness? Did sacrifices make a person clean from sin forever and remove the guilt from those sins? Can a person do enough good things to erase the rebellious actions he or she has done? Nothing any person can do will ever be enough to erase his or her sins and remove the guilt to provide a sinlessness that will allow him or her to be in the presence of holy God.

Paul explained how God made Christians alive with Christ. For each person who trusts in Him, He raises them to new life without sin. God forgives the transgressions of each person who believes in Jesus Christ. This forgiveness Paul spoke of comes from the Greek word charizomai and means to favor, pardon, and show grace. Because God wanted renewed relationship with each person and holy God will not be where sin is, just as light cannot be where darkness is, He freely showed His favor to people by granting forgiveness upon their belief and repentance of sins. God knew nothing a person can do can erase the judgment for sins, so He showed His favor towards people. Paul explained this to the churches in Colossae and Laodicea. God favored them and showed them grace.

Jesus’ love enacted through His sinless life, excruciating death on the cross, and resurrection provides total forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. Paul said, though ancestry and sins alienated the Colossian and Laodicean Christians from Him, God’s love made a way for them to have a saving and righteous relationship with Him. Their deadness due to sins and ancestry kept these people from life. Yet, their death to sin by faith in Christ made them alive.

This forgiveness of sins by Jesus’ death and resurrection “canceled out the certificate of debt comprising decrees against” them, Paul said. Just as when a person promises to pay a financial debt and signs it, so a moral debt causes a decree of judgment against a person unless repaid. Yet, a person cannot repay moral debt because no sinless person exists to pay the sinner’s debt.  Nothing any person can do, say, or think is good enough for repayment because it would come from a sinful person. Paul explained this in Romans 3:23 when he said, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” [NASB]. Anything a person offers to repay the sin debt is tainted by sin. For these debts, decrees (laws) declare the guilt of people, just as the Mosaic law did. These decrees are against every person. They declare his or her sinfulness. No person can be sinless in his or her own strength. But God, in His love, forgives each person and cancels (erases, obliterates) the certificate of debt against each person who trusts in Jesus Christ. Though God meant for the Mosaic laws to lead people to Him, they reminded each person of his or her sins. People carry the guilt since they are unable to be sinless in their own strength.

Jesus Christ did not just erase the debt of sin; He nailed it to the cross. Christ caused their sins and guilt to die. He carried the sins of all people to the cross. Jesus bore the burden of those sins in Himself. He canceled the sin debt for each person who would believe in Him by dying to him or herself. A believer’s dying to him or herself is dying with Christ in His sufferings. That person puts off the old fleshly ways of living and rises with newness in Christ. He or she rises with His power to defeat temptations and His cleansing to be in relationship with God.

For the Christians Paul wrote to in this letter, he taught them they can know they have forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God because Jesus the Christ walked on earth, died, and rose from the dead.  His death canceled their sin debt. The decrees that held them in debt, bondage to this life, no longer had a hold on them. Jesus victoriously rose from the grave and broke those bonds. He paid the judgment penalty for each person’s sins, so sin and death no longer would have hold on them.

Paul wanted the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea to know the empty and deceitful philosophizing by men held no weight. This philosophizing was wrong because Jesus was a man and is fully God. His body did not stay in the grave, but defeated death, sin, and earthly decrees so that each person who trusts in Him would have a relationship with God. The Gnostics thought of God only as transcendent. They taught people are unable to ascend to the level of God and have a relationship with Him. Paul taught God always wanted a relationship with people. Ancestry and sin do not thwart His plans and desires. Jesus Christ gave the Colossian and Laodicean Christians, and all who believe in Him, access to God, as Romans 5:2 and Ephesians 2:18 say. The Gnostics taught sins occur because all material things are evil, including the body. Instead, a person can try to rise to the spiritual plane, they reasoned. These Gnostics taught that God did not interact with people. Paul taught that God loves people very much and wants to have a relationship with them. God made this possible through His Son, Jesus the Christ.

Freedom from Demonic Powers comes from Christ

“When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Colossians 2:15 [NASB])

In this verse, Paul wrote of another thing Christ gives superabundantly from His fullness to His followers. Jesus Christ gives His victory over demonic powers to Christians. In the first part of verse fifteen, Paul said Jesus “disarmed the rulers and authorities.” With His death and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed His victory over demonic powers. This means He defeated demonic rulers and authorities and completely stripped them from people He claims for Himself. Jesus emphatically denounced these rulers and authorities before God and other beings. Christ claims the lives of each person who trusts in Him. He makes His power available to them so they can have victory over these rulers and authorities. His victory came in other ways, too. As part of the Godhead, Jesus created all things. As Creator and Redeemer, He is the most powerful of all beings. These demonic powers (rulers and authorities) have no ultimate power over each person who believes in Jesus Christ. Jesus gives the ability to defeat demonic powers from His fullness to His people so they can stand against rulers and authorities. God’s fullness for us is more than visible, tangible things like food and wealth. It includes spiritual power, surety, and victory.

Paul continued in this verse by saying Jesus made a “public display” of these rulers and authorities. He paraded them, as an example, in front of witnesses. Consider the young man who had many demons living in him. Jesus cast the legion out of him into a herd of swine (Mark 5:1-17). Jesus has and makes available to believers the ability to resist demonic powers. Through Him, Christians can have victory over them. Jesus took it a step further and said his public display of these demonic powers included a triumphal procession, a parade, celebrating God’s victory over them through His death. He conquered them as their supreme head and Creator and as the Redeemer of humanity.

The Colossians and Laodiceans had Christ’s victorious power available to them to defeat the demonically influenced teachers. Jesus gave it to them from His superabundance, from His fullness. Jesus will make Christians perfect when they get to heaven. They will have fullness on earth now because Jesus already has the victory over all beings, including evil powers. The Gnostics taught a spiritual lesson contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These false teachers allowed Satan to confuse and convince them of the rightness of this philosophy. They did not exercise the faith God gives each person to believe in Jesus. Instead, they took the rational way because of Satan’s deception. These false teachers philosophized and taught this deception, hoping to lead people away from Jesus and gain followers for themselves. The Christians in Colossae and Laodicea could have Christ’s strength and victory over these false teachers. They could proclaim triumphantly with Christ of their freedom from sin, the law, and demonic powers.

Thoughts to Consider

            Paul warned the Colossae and Laodicean Christians in verse eight about the trickery of the false teachers’ lessons concerning spirituality. Do not fall prey to secular wisdom, he told them. With verses nine and ten, Paul reminded these Christians, with a more focused lens, about Jesus having all the fullness of the deity. Because of that, Jesus makes perfect each person who believes in Him. He gives from His fullness, just like He gives His wisdom, knowledge, strength, etc. Jesus Christ gives from His fullness to make each person full (perfect/complete) and keep them growing toward perfection. The perfection the Gnostics taught was not true perfection. Only Jesus can make a person complete because He reigns over all rule and authority and is the Creator of everything that is. Because of who Jesus is, Christians can know with absolute certainty that all the fullness of Christ is available through the Holy Spirit to them. This means circumcision by human hands does not give salvation. God makes spiritual circumcision available for all people for those who believe in Jesus Christ, repent, and die to themselves. All other teachings and proclamations come from human reasoning and do not provide salvation or a relationship with God. Believers in Jesus Christ can know they are part of the new covenant with God. Because of this covenant with God, Christians realize they have forgiveness of sins and freedom from the law. Jesus canceled the sin debt certificate and judgment against each person who believes. He is supreme head, Creator, and Redeemer, He disarmed the rulers and authorities, the demonic powers. Each person who trusts in Jesus has this same power of Jesus through the Holy Spirit dwelling in him or her to combat these beings who teach and go against God’s truths. Christ’s fullness is available to each believer through the Holy Spirit to teach what each needs to know and to remind of all Jesus said.

Questions:

• Is there a teaching you have heard that keeps you from believing in Jesus?
• If not a teaching, what keeps you from trusting Jesus Christ as the Savior who died for your sins and offers you eternal life in a right relationship with God?
• As a believer, do you feel you are fighting a losing battle? Remember, you have the fullness of Jesus Christ, the Conqueror of rulers and authorities, available for you to stand strong against those demonic beings.
• If you are a Christian, what keeps you from telling other people about Jesus, the One who died so all humankind can receive cleansing from sin, cancellation of sin’s debt, and relationship with God?

For next week, re-read all of Colossians 2 and pay close attention to verses 16-19.

“Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize…” (Colossians 2:18a [NASB])

Freedom from Deception

Overview of Earlier Colossians Bible Studies

Without going into too much detail, before this Bible study, which covers Colossians 2:8-10, we studied the background of the Letter to the Colossians and from Colossians 1:1 to Colossians 2:7 through ten different Bible studies. The study titled Background of Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae taught us about the cultural, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of Asia minor that affected the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea. Identification helped us understand who Paul and Timothy were and how they identified with the Colossians and Laodiceans. This helped the Christians there understand and identify with them. The Bible study titled Thanksgiving in Colossians explained Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to God for these Christians. Paul continued his prayer for these Christians in Colossians 1:9-12, as we studied in Glorious Might. In these verses, Paul asked God to give the believers the knowledge of His will with His spiritual wisdom and understanding so they would please Him by bearing fruit in good works. He asked, too, that God would strengthen them with power, steadfastness, and patience and that they joyously give thanks to Him.

In Colossians 1:13-20, Paul began telling about God, Jesus Christ, and how Jesus is enough for salvation. In Snatched and Delivered, he taught that the Father is the one who rescues believers and transfers them to Jesus for salvation. Superabundant Peace explained Paul’s Christology, who Jesus is. Paul proclaimed Jesus is the exact embodiment of the Godhead. In Attaining Hope, which covers Colossians 1:21-23, Paul used an if… then clause to explain who the Christians were and, if they would exercise the faith God gave them, Jesus would save them from their sins and death.

The Bible study titled God's Power and Gentle Persuasion, which covers Colossians 1:24-29, told us of Paul’s calling by Jesus and the stewardship he has to God. God’s call on his life was to proclaim the Gospel. This proclamation included telling people about the “mystery of God,” that Jesus Christ is for all people, not just the Israelites. Jesus died to cleanse the sins from each person who believes in Him and to give them salvation from death. God speaks to each person through the Gospel with gentle persuasion telling of His love for each person and the salvation Jesus offers.

Rejoicing During Trials is the Bible study teaching about Colossians 2:1-5. In this passage, Paul showed his pastoral care for the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea. He struggled for the church because of his love for them, which Jesus put in him. Paul encouraged these Christians to stand strong and unified in love so they would attain “to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, Jesus Christ Himself, in who are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3 [NASB]) He taught this so the false teachers could not trick the Christians with persuasive arguments. Paul explained this to them this so they would not succumb to the false teachers and their persuasive arguments. He told these believers he cared for them and did not want the Gnostics to delude them about their surety of salvation and hope of glory.

In Overflowing Gratefulness, which teaches from Colossians 2:6-7, Paul reminded the believers of their salvation by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through faith in Him. Because they trusted in Jesus and received salvation, they could know they were rooted firmly in Him. As these Christians learned and grew, Paul encouraged and reminded them that Jesus saved them at a point in time and firmly rooted them in Himself. Though their salvation happened in the past, the Christians were to continue being rooted in Christ, built up, and established in their faith. These present continuous verbs show growth as a Christian comes from our actively staying in a close relationship with God. Salvation happens at a point in time, but growth and sanctification should be the continuous aim of each person. It should compel him or her to learn, follow, and be in a closer relationship with Jesus.

Empty Philosophy and Christ

Paul returned to what he had alluded to in Colossians 1:23 and the “mystery” of God in Colossians 1:26. God had called him to preach about these. In Chapter 2:8-10, Paul taught in depth about the philosophical thoughts the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea faced. He explained again who Christ is and how His sacrifice for salvation is sufficient. For Paul, repeating himself several times was not a difficulty. He wanted to make sure these false teachers did not take the Christians captive with their deceit.

Empty Philosophy

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 [NASB])

Paul described the false teaching in four ways. He said this teaching was philosophical, deceiving, manmade, and according to elementary principles. When we do a word study of this verse, we learn Paul meant, “Discern what is empty philosophy and deception and do not let them captivate and capture you. Do not let these empty philosophies lead you away from the truth so you become a slave to them.” He wanted the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea to understand that what they heard from these false teachers was empty. It had no truth in it so they should not let these false teachers deceive them.

This philosophy taught ideas contrary to the Gospel Epaphras taught the churches in Colossae and Laodicea. The word “philosophy” Paul used in this verse comes from the Greek word philosophia. Philosophia is a secular philosophy or thought as compared to the wisdom of God. It serves to elevate human wisdom over God’s wisdom. This teaching, Paul said, was philosophical, from man’s ideations.

Paul continued about this false teaching by saying, it was “empty deception.” In the Greek, these two words mean foolish pretension without truth, and made with the motivation to deceive. These false teachers sought to trick people and gain followers by teaching them they must do more to be spiritual.

Paul added, this false teaching is “according to the tradition of men.” The traditions of men mean generations of people pass the teaching down to the following generations. Divine teaching derives its starting point from God. In an oral society, as in New Testament times, a father or grandfather taught the sons and so the false teaching carried from one generation to the next. The form of Gnosticism during the time of this letter was in its earliest stages. Gnostics continued to teach it from then, and it still deceives people today. Paul taught this false teaching of the Gnostics came from the minds and logic of humanity, not from God. This teaching came from the tradition of men.

Lastly, Paul said these false teachings are “according to the elementary principles of the world.” The word phrase “elementary principles” comes from the Greek word stoicheion. It comes from the philosophy structure of first principles upon which other points build. For the Gnostics, these elementary principles, these thoughts, dealt with heavenly bodies. It served to aid people in attaining the highest principle of life, the highest spiritual stature. Remember, for them anything material was bad and anything heavenly or spiritual was good. Because of that, since Jesus lived in bodily form, He could not be God to them. This meant they aimed to rise in philosophical thought, so they would become a heavenly being, like an angel. This goal was in their minds. To them, no human could be God. They imagined they could get as close as possible to that level by being angels or other heavenly beings. Their minds could conceive of nothing higher than this level to get near in stature to the Godhead.

Each of these four things showed the false teachings in that region directly opposed the Gospel. They taught philosophical, deceiving, manmade, and elementary principles of the world. The instigator of these philosophical thoughts was Satan. As he has always done, he twists the truth of the Gospel to trick people into considering salvation needs more than Jesus provides. Satan wants people to imagine Jesus is not able to save people. This would cause unbelief in Jesus and fewer people in heaven. Yet, repeatedly, the Bible teaches Jesus paid the sacrifice for all people to receive salvation from their sins and from eternal death, eternal separation from God. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for the sins of humankind occurred because of God’s love. Satan’s trickery comes from his desire to keep people from receiving eternal love from God. The difference between these two motives is Satan wants to gain and keep people from heaven. God wants people to be saved. Satan is self-focused. God’s love makes Him people-focused.

Who Jesus Christ is, Reiterated

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10 [NASB])

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15-20 about Jesus being fully divine, though living as a man on earth. He said Jesus Christ created all things, was preeminent before all things, holds all things together, is the head of the Church, is the firstborn from the dead, has all the fullness of deity dwelling in Him, and reconciles all things to Himself through the blood of His cross. In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul reiterated, “In Him (Christ) all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.” Jesus is completely God. He has divine fullness in Him. In and through Jesus Christ, the superabundance of the Godhead dwells and emanates because He is fully divine, fully God, though He lived in bodily form while on earth.

Paul continued in verse ten by saying, “And in Him you have been made complete.” Completion is not being born with ten fingers and toes. This “completion” is a present perfect verb that began working in the past and continues into the present and future. This verb is in the indicative form; it is factual. Paul meant, “You can know truly, because Jesus Christ is fully divine and is your Savior, you will be brought to completion.” This completion Paul wrote comes by Christ making the believer fully perfect upon that his or her entrance into heaven. The word “complete” comes from pleroo and has the same root word as the word “fullness” (pleroma) that tells of Jesus Christ’s being fully divine. Christ is complete, perfect, fully divine. He gives of His fullness to make each Christian complete, perfect. Jesus makes each believer totally complete, perfect, upon the believer’s entrance to heaven. The life of the Christian from the point of belief and salvation through entrance into heaven shows the continuousness of the verb “have been made complete.” What Jesus begins in each person from when he or she trusted in Him for salvation, that person continues with His grace, strength, etc. given through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit while on earth so that that he or she grows to be more like Jesus Christ each day. Jesus then completes that being made perfect upon entrance to heaven. In Jesus Christ alone, Paul said, the Colossian and Laodicean Christians could know perfection, completion because of their salvation by Jesus Christ. They did not need to add any other philosophy or teaching to get the salvation and perfection Jesus Christ gives. Jesus Christ is fully divine and gives of His fullness to everyone who trusts in Him for salvation from sin and death. Believers in Him “have been made complete.”

Paul said in Colossians 1:16, “By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him.” [NASB] He reiterated in Colossians 2:10, because of Jesus’ authority and power, He is head over all rule and authority. Nothing and no one has authority or rule over Jesus Christ since He created them, as Paul said in Colossians 1:16. The word “rule” comes from the Greek word arche, which means principality. Paul used this word to include angels and demons. Jesus, the fullness of God, is the head over them like He is the head of the Church. He exercised His headship over all authorities, too. The word “authorities” comes from the Greek word exousia, which means power and authority. These powers ad authorities include the physical, spiritual, and moral power and authority. As fully divine and as Creator preeminent before all things, Jesus Christ is the head of all things, including spiritual and natural beings who rule and have authority over parts of His creation. Jesus Christ rules and reigns over all things.

Because of this, Jesus is greater than Satan, sin, and death. He gives a sufficient salvation to each person who believes in Him as the Messiah sent from heaven. Paul, with this reiteration, said Jesus provides complete, full, perfect salvation and brings believers to perfection, completion, and fullness because He is fully God. No other sacrifice is necessary for salvation. Nothing more is required for salvation to occur for any person who wants to be saved. No one can add to belief in Jesus to make it more perfect. The idea the Gnostics had of becoming more perfect is a deception. A person cannot become more perfect than what Jesus gives from His fullness, His superabundance. You cannot perfect perfection. Each Christian is being made complete. It started when they first believed in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. Jesus will complete it when they enter heaven. Paul taught the churches in Colossae and Laodicea that all Christians can have freedom because of Christ. John said it this way in John 8:36, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” [NASB]

Thoughts to Consider

People often want to feel better or greater than others. To do this, they devise ideas to teach and trick people into feeling smaller so they themselves feel more powerful and knowledgeable. Sometimes these ideas and deceptions cause people to question their faith and consider adding something more to make it salvation more effective. Paul told the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea the false teachings they heard were philosophies based on human reasoning. They were empty and deceptive. These teachings were “nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 [NASB]) They came from the traditions or men. In addition, these false teachings were according to the elementary principles of the world, like astrology or Gnosticism. They were fanciful human beliefs to make those teachers feel secure. Instead, their sole purpose was deception.

The Lord knows people try to plan their every step, but they cannot gain salvation without Christ. Psalm 94:11 speaks of this. It says, “The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are a mere breath.” Instead of thoughts that are only a mere breath, which passes after its exhalation, Paul wrote to the Colossian and Laodicean Christians to remind them Jesus Christ is the fullness of Deity. Jesus never passes away like people, their thoughts, and their philosophies. He will perfect His followers, when he or she enters heaven. Jesus gives from His fullness, from His superabundance, so people may receive perfection.

Paul said Jesus Christ is above all things and the Creator of all things. He is the ruler over all rule and authority. Psalms 33:10 speaks of this, “The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.” God has supremacy. His plans and power are greater than anything people can imagine. Nothing can thwart Him.

Paul said the church can stay free from false teachings by remembering who Jesus is. The Church, Christians, can stay free from these and all false teachings by accepting the fullness Jesus Christ gives from Himself. The salvation He gives is enough to save each person and bring them to fullness, perfection. No one ever needs to add anything to make salvation perfect. Nothing mankind plans lasts forever or has the fullness of power from Deity. The LORD is almighty and all-knowing. He directs the steps of people. (Proverbs 16:9) Jesus gives from His superabundant perfection to make each believer perfect. Perfection cannot be perfected. Neither people, principalities, rulers, or authorities can make more perfect what God through Jesus Christ provides and perfects.

Questions:

• Are there steps or processes you required of yourself and/or others to make sure you get to heaven when you die? If so, is that working for you? Is it keeping other people from knowing Jesus Christ as their Savior?
• Do you have the peace of assurance in God because of knowing the perfection through salvation He gives is enough to save and keep you? Isaiah spoke about this peace when he said, “You (LORD) will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” (Isaiah 26:3 [NASB])
• What keeps you from accepting and acting on the faith God gives you to believe in Jesus as His Son?
• What keeps you from teaching the truth that Jesus’ sacrifice for sins is enough to make each person complete and perfect in Him?

For the next Bible study, re-read Colossians 2. Specifically, look at Colossians 2:11-15.

“Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12 [NASB])

Overflowing Gratefulness

Overview of Earlier Bible Studies

(Note: if you have read the other Bible studies in this series and remember what Paul taught the Colossians and Laodiceans, you can skip this section and go to the section titled, “The Walk.”

The people of Colossae and Laodicea lived in a mixed bag of cultures, philosophical thoughts, and religions. They lived in a region called Asia Minor, specifically the Lycus River valley, where a major highway traversed from east to west. The Babylonians, Romans, Jews, and Greeks influenced the lives of the people. To these people in the 1^st century AD, Paul wrote while imprisoned. About the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea, he received good news and understood things about which he needed to teach and correct them. (see Background of Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae)

Several cultures, belief systems, and philosophical thoughts influenced the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea. The second Bible study in this series taught us about Paul’s greeting and introduction of himself and Timothy to the Christians. In this greeting, Paul identified himself and Timothy with Jesus and the believers in Colossae and Laodicea. (see Identification)

In the third Bible study of this Colossian series, Paul prayed, offering thanks to God for the growth of the Christians in the churches of Colossae and Laodicea as shown by their love for God and the saints. He continued to thank God because these Christians constantly bore fruit and matured. Paul identified Epaphras, the founding pastor of these churches, as a “beloved fellow bond-servant,” one who willingly submitted to Christ as Paul taught him.  (see Thanksgiving in Colossians)

Paul continued praying over the Colossian Christians to Christ in supplication for them. In these verses, Colossians 1:9-12, he told them he prayed for them daily that they would grow in Christ so they would be well-pleasing to God. Paul prayed for God to fill them with the knowledge of His will with all spiritual wisdom and understanding so they would please Him by bearing fruit in good works. He asked for God to increase their knowledge of Him, strengthen the Colossian Christians with all power, and give them steadfastness and patience. Paul ended this intense prayer by asking that they joyously give thanks to God, who qualified them to inherit eternal life with the saints and the Son in His kingdom. (see Glorious Might)

In verses thirteen and fourteen, Paul explained who this Father is of whom he spoke in verse twelve. He explained the Father is the One who will give the Christians the gifts for which he prayed for them. The Father is the one who rescued the believers, who trust in Jesus for salvation. Paul explained the Father rescues and transfers those who trust in Jesus as the Son of God from Satan’s grip and transfers them to the Son’s kingdom. These two verses told the Colossians what the Father wants to do. With the end of verse fourteen, Paul segued to who the Son is. (see Snatched and Delivered)

The Bible study of Colossians 1:15-20 told what Paul taught about who Jesus is. He told the Colossians that Jesus is the exact embodiment of God. Jesus and the Father are of the same mind. Paul explained Jesus is preeminent over all created things. Jesus always existed and created all things with the Father and Spirit ex nihilo, out of nothing. Because of this, He is greater than all created things, including angels, whom the Gnostics proclaimed were greater than Him. Jesus created all things and, in His wisdom, knowledge, and strength, holds all things together. Paul wrote that Jesus is the head of the body, the Church. He explained Jesus is more than these; He is the firstborn of the dead. Jesus came back to life and still exists. He will be first among all things, alive and dead, visible and invisible. The Father, with pleasure, shared His fullness (His superabundance) with His Son. He enabled the reconciliation of people to Him through Christ Jesus. Paul explained how holy God reconciled sinful people to Himself. For the reconciliation of every person, Jesus gave His life as the sacrifice for the death penalty each one deserves because of their sins. Anyone who trusts Jesus is the Son of God and confesses his or her sins, He will save from their sins and death. By doing this, Jesus made peace with God possible. (see Superabundant Peace)

The Bible study of Colossians 1:21-23 shows Paul used a common teaching/writing technique, conditional clauses. He stated who the Colossian Christians were before they trusted in Jesus, then told them what He wants to do for them. That “then” clause is the apodosis clause. It explains what will happen if someone does something. The “if” clause, the protasis clause, tells what must occur to get the certain reward. In these three verses, Paul told the Colossian believers, if people will trust in Jesus as the Son of God and repent of their sins (protasis, the if), then Jesus will save them from their sins (apodosis, the “then”). The Father rescues people who want Him to save them and transfers them to His Son. His Son redeems and reconciles them to God. Nothing else need happen for people to receive salvation from their sins and gain eternal life with God. The Gnostics taught otherwise. (see Attaining Hope)

With the conclusion of Colossians 1, Paul told, in verses twenty-four through twenty-nine, of his calling by Jesus and his stewardship of God upon which he felt compelled to proclaim. His calling was to serve Christ and His church clearly by proclaiming the Gospel. Within the act of clearly proclaiming, Paul said God told him to teach and admonish. He was to preach the “word of God, the mystery which God had hidden from past ages and generations.” The mystery God hid until that time is that Jesus made salvation available for each person, Jew and Greek, slave and free, men and woman. Paul explained the blessing of this mystery is salvation and the indwelling of each believer by Jesus’ Spirit, the hope of glory. Jesus Christ made all things, redeems those who trust in Him, and indwells each believer. Finally, Paul said in verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine, Jesus called him to admonish with God’s gentle persuasion. This persuasion would tell of His love for each person and the salvation Jesus offers. It would convince and convict each person to turn away from their sins and accept the salvation Jesus provides. By doing this, God rescues and transfers people who act upon the faith He gives. He transfers them to the kingdom of His Son by their trust in Jesus as their Savior for salvation. The Gnostics taught against this point. They strove to prove it to anyone who would listen to them about their philosophical thought on advanced religion. The Gnostics said Jesus was only a man and His death did not give salvation. Paul taught otherwise. (see God's Power and Gentle Persuasion)

As we began our study of Colossians 2 with verses one through five, Paul’s pastoral care for the Colossians and Laodiceans, both of whom he had never met, showed in his writing. Just as in Colossians 1:29, where Paul said he strove for the church, in Colossians 2:1, Paul struggled for the church. He did this because of the love Jesus put in his heart when He called him in Acts to proclaim the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles. Paul concerned himself with ensuring the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea would feel encouraged and unified in love, so they would attain to “all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, Jesus Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3 [NASB]) He taught this so the false teachers could not trick the Christians with persuasive arguments. Paul, as a Christian and a pastoral leader for Christian churches, rejoiced because of the two churches’ “good discipline and the stability of their faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:5 [NASB]) He said they were like well-trained soldiers aligned in battle array. These believers heard the Gospel and its truth. They had grown in their faith and matured in it so their love for God and Christ showed in their attitudes, actions, and words. Paul encouraged them with his words of commendation because he cared for them and did not want the Gnostics to delude them from the surety of their salvation and hope of glory. (see Rejoicing During Trials)

The Walk

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” (Colossians 2:6-7 [NASB])

With these two verses, Paul returned to his opening prayer for the Colossians and Laodiceans. Paul used the word “therefore” to point us to what immediately preceded the sentence. The preceding sentences of Colossians 2:1-5 were of Paul’s pastoral concern, encouragement of the churches, and rejoicing over them. In essence, Paul said, “Therefore, because you have been encouraged and united in love, and are attaining to the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, which results in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, rejoice. Rejoice because of these and because you have received Christ.”

Paul used several verbs denoting progression in these two verses. When he said, “As you have received,” he spoke to their receiving formal instruction by an ongoing traditional teaching about “Jesus Christ the Lord.” These Christians did not receive just one teaching about Jesus. They learned of Him, trusted in Him, and then kept learning about Him through the teaching of Epaphras and the Holy Spirit living within them. The Christians of Colossae and Laodicea were like sponges. They kept absorbing and growing in their faith in Christ.

Paul’s confession of faith format, “Jesus Christ the Lord,” is an early confession of faith. The Gnostics could not make this confession. They believed Jesus was just a man. The Gnostics did not trust Jesus is the Son of God and that people were to emulate His life. They considered themselves better than the Jesus-followers because they advanced themselves with higher thoughts, not by following a man who they considered as dead.

These Christians did more than hear and believe. They made what they had received a part of their lives. Paul told the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea how to walk. He commended them for how they had already walked in Christ. Paul told them not to let the false teaching of the Gnostics mislead them. He encouraged them to keep walking in “Christ Jesus the Lord.” Because you are a Christian, “walk in Him.” He told them to keep continuing to live completely a life wholly given to Jesus. To hear and believe are not enough. A true Christian is one who follows Jesus, grows to be more like Him, and obeys Him in all things because of love for God. Matthew wrote in Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.’” John recorded Jesus’ teaching in John 15:14 when he wrote, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Other writers recorded these same types of teachings. John spoke of love for God in 1 John 5:3-5 when he said,

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? [NASB]

John spoke of loving God in John 14:15. Jesus said in this passage, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Further in this chapter, Jesus said, “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to Him.” (John 14:21 [NASB]) Each of these verses teach that being a Christian is not a static experience, but a daily growing in relationship with God, in likeness to Christ, and in obedience to and love of God. These things are about what Paul speaks in Colossians 2:6-7.

What does this “walking in Christ” require? Paul explained it for them and rejoiced over them because of their walk, just as in chapter one and in 2:5. Paul wrote in Colossians 2:7 walking in Christ includes four verbs-firmly rooted, being built up, established, and overflowing. Each of these verbs connotes ideas of building a building, with one having a double connotation of planting like a farmer.

“Having been rooted” points to what happened and what is coming. Another way to say this phrase is, “Because you have been rooted.” So, because the Colossian and Laodicean Christians “have been rooted” in their faith in “Christ Jesus as Lord,” they can grow in their spiritual journey. They have a firm foundation on which to do the other three verbs. Now that Christ rooted them in conjunction with the person’s active faith, they can go forward and grow more in Christ.

To live a life as a Christian is more than being saved at a point in time. It requires growth. Just as when a farmer plants a seed he expects it to mature into a plant from which he can reap food, Christ, when He saves each person expects him or her to grow into the full image of Him by following Him in obedience. That growth requires “being built up in Him.” This verb is a present continuous verb. It marks something happened in the past and continues into the future. This being built up connotes a plant growing with nutrition like fertilizer, water, and sun. It connotes the building of a building, too. Upon the strong and secure foundation, a builder will spend his time and money to keep building. If the builder just poured a slab of concrete, then did nothing else, people would wonder then laugh at him or her for wasting his or her money. Likewise, Christians must continue being built up in Christ. This building up is a constant increasing in Christian knowledge, which is “hidden in Christ” (Col. 2:2-3). The building up leads to a life conformed by Christ, made in the mold to which the builder laid. If the foundation is immovable and straight, what a person builds upon it will be sure and secure. The Gnostics had no security. They strove of their own limited will to think themselves into being spiritual. Humans are sinful and cannot of their own accord save themselves. Because of this, people need Jesus for their salvation and foundation. As a person roots him or herself in Christ and builds up his or her life and faith in Him, he or she grows stronger so he or she can withstand false teachers.

A true Christian who lives his or her faith shows the meaning of being established in one’s faith. Like being built up, being established is a present continuous verb. It speaks of something that began in the past and continues into the indefinite future. This part of building is making sure the beams, bricks, and stones do not cause the building to lean or sway towards other buildings or with the winds and rains. A disaster could occur from its falling because of its instability or to any natural phenomenon. As a Christ-follower, being established means to make sure and secure your belief by growing in the knowledge and wisdom of God. It gives you have a sure understanding, so teachings and thoughts of other people, like the Gnostic false teachers, do not lead you astray. Remember, in Colossians 1, Paul taught that Jesus has within Himself the knowledge and wisdom of God, so your growing in Christ grows your knowledge and wisdom and vice versa.

Paul then told the Colossian and Laodicean Christians to “be firmly rooted… just as you were instructed.” In the beginning of this letter, Paul told the Christians they could be sure of and secure in what Epaphras taught them because Paul taught him. He taught Epaphras what God taught him. These things of God Epaphras proclaimed to the Colossians and Laodiceans. Paul told the believers this so they would remember what Epaphras taught them and could withstand the teaching of the Gnostics. What the Christians of these two cities heard and learned from Epaphras and believed is the truth. Nothing any person says or thinks of his or her volition adds to it to make salvation more complete. Jesus’ sacrifice makes salvation complete, secure and sure. “Christ Jesus is Lord” was and should be their profession, just as Paul said in Colossians 2:6.

The final verb Paul used in this small passage of his letter is “overflowing.” He said, “Just as you received Jesus, so walk in Him… having been firmly rooted in Him… and overflowing with gratitude.” (Col. 2:6-7) A Christian who is walking in Jesus overflows with gratitude. This overflowing comes from a person’s heart. Its original source is God’s storehouses. This reminds us of the “fullness of God.” We learned in Colossians 1 the “fullness of God” means the superabundance of God given to Christ because He is the image of the invisible God. God’s storehouses overflow with every good thing because it comes from the character of God who is good and made everything good. Each person who trusts in Christ Jesus as Lord has this overflowing of gratitude because the Spirit of Christ lives in him or her. Christ’s Spirit dwells in each Christian and makes available His overflowing storehouses from His character and might. A Christian does not have to burdened because, amid the circumstances in which he or she finds him or herself, things like gratitude flow from God’s superabundant storehouses. Each believer can rejoice in all things. Because of God’s storehouses of gratitude and other godly characteristics, a Christian can “look for the silver lining” while going through hard times or “make lemonade from lemons.” Paul said Jesus made it possible for the Colossian and Laodicean Christians to overflow with gratitude as they walk with Christ. Though false teachers or the storms of life pummel believers, they can rest in the truth and overflow with the gratitude Christ gives them during trials. Expressing overwhelming gratitude reminds them of His strength, power, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and reminds them of their hope of glory. These characteristics of God help Christians get through difficult times. These believers could know what God told Isaiah in Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper.” [NASB]

As long as the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea believed beyond the moment of their salvation and grew by being firmly rooted and built up in Him and established in their faith, they would overflow with gratitude. It would enable them to stand strong against whatever came against them. The Gnostics taught against what they believed, but with a growing relationship in Christ, they could grow in Him and withstand the false teaching. Just as Paul taught these Christians, each person who trusts in Christ Jesus the Lord for his or her salvation can become surer of and stronger in his or her faith if he or she grows in these four ways–by being firmly rooted in Christ, built upon what Christ laid in their hearts, spirits, minds, and lives, established in their faith, and overflowing with gratitude because of their walk and growth in Him. None of these is a static action. Christ Jesus makes each believer complete and perfect when he or she arrives in heaven. Until then, each Christian’s journey is about growing to know God in a more intimate way each day.

Thoughts to Consider:

As you consider what Paul told the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea, have you considered where you are in your relationship with Christ? To be a Christian is more than saying, “I believe.” It requires a person’s daily attention to his or her relationship with God. God wants each person who trusts in Jesus as the Messiah to walk with Him. This requires more than saying, “I do,” like a growing relationship in a marriage requires more than saying, “I do.” It requires growing on the foundation upon which your relationship with God Christ laid in your heart when you said those two words. People may call this work, but most people, those who truly seek God, call it love. Each believer should want to grow in his or her relationship with God because of his or her love and gratitude for Him sending Jesus to live, die, and resurrect to pay the penalty of his or her sins. If someone leapt in front of a car to push you out of the way, you would be grateful for a long time. Jesus did this on a much bigger scale. He leapt in front of Satan’s plan for your life and saved you from eternal death. Because of that, each believer should want to love Him more each day. To love God more each day requires being firmly rooted in, built up, and established in Him, and overwhelming with gratitude. The latter comes because of your deeper understanding of what Christ Jesus did for him or her and of what comes from God’s storehouses because a person lives closer with the Holy Spirit within him or her each day. The questions below should help you learn and grow in your walk with God.

Questions: 

• Have you believed Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior God sent to earth to die for your sin penalty so you can have an eternal relationship with God?
• Do you recall that time often and want to know Jesus more?
• Do you consider the deed done and so moved on, and now find you feel no different from before you said you believed?
• If that is the case, have you considered you may not be saved from your sins and death? True faith in Christ causes change and fruit.
• If you trusted in Jesus as the Messiah and began walking with Him, but became lost on the way, what keeps you from turning back to Him, confessing your walking away from Him, asking forgiveness, and giving your will to Him again as you seek to walk with Him anew?
• If you have been in a growing relationship with God and walk with Him each day, is there something God asks you to do that you refuse to do?
• If you have been on the walk of faith in Jesus for many years, for what can you give praise and thank God?

For next week’s Bible study, read Colossians 2, particularly focus on verses 8-15.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 [NASB])

Rejoicing During Trials

Overview of Earlier Colossian Bible Studies 

Up to this point, we have studied all of Colossians 1 and the background of this letter through eight Bible studies. The first study taught us the background of the Colossians. In that study, we learned the Colossae Christians lived in a multi-cultural and multi-religion geographical region called Asia Minor. Different intellectual teachings abounded there. The one that affected the Colossians believers most was an early form of Gnosticism. This Gnosticism proclaimed advanced thought brought salvation. They considered Jesus Christ’s salvation as insufficient. (see Background of Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae)

The second Bible study came from Colossians 1:1-2. In this study, Paul wrote who he and Timothy were and helped the Colossian Christians identify with them since these men had never personally met the Colossians. He stated his Jewish and Christian background and explained they both came from the same geographical region as the Colossians. By doing this, Paul would have more credibility, and the believers in Colossae would trust what he told them in his letter. (see Identification)

In Colossians 1:3-8, Paul began his prayer to God by thanking Him for the Colossian Christians’ growth in their faith and in their love for God and the saints. He thanked God that they bore fruit and matured, which showed their faith. Paul spoke of Epaphras, too, the founder of the churches in Colossae and Laodicea. He said Epaphras was a man they could trust because he discipled him. Paul said, Epaphras is like himself, a “beloved fellow bond-servant” of Christ. (see Thanksgiving in Colossians)

In his prayer, after he gave thanks for the Colossian church, Paul interceded for them. In Colossians 1:9-12, he asked God to grow them in Christ so they would be well-pleasing to Him. Paul asked they have the knowledge of God and that He would give them His strength, power, steadfastness, and patience. At the end of this prayer, he asked God to give the Colossian Christians a sense of thankfulness to Him, the One who qualified them to inherit eternal life with the saints and His Son. (see Glorious Might)

Colossians 1:13-14 is Paul’s explanation of who the Father is, the One to whom he alluded in verse twelve. This Father is the One who would give them the gifts for which Paul asked for the believers in Colossae. He rescued them from their sins and eternal death and transferred them into His Son’s kingdom. Verse fourteen is the segue to Paul’s Christology he would write in verses fifteen through twenty. (see Snatched and Delivered)

Colossians 1:15-20 records what Paul taught about Jesus, the Son of God. He said Jesus is the exact embodiment of God. The Son of God and God have the same mind. Paul wrote Jesus is preeminent over all creation and existed and created all things with the Father and Spirit out of nothing, ex nihilo. This meant angels, as created beings, are lower than the Son of God. His teaching went against the teaching of the Gnostics and others who proclaimed angels were greater than Jesus, whom they considered was just a man. The Gnostics did not consider Jesus equal to God because Jesus had a mortal body. Material things, to them, were worth nothing. Paul taught Jesus holds all things together and is the Head of the body, the Church. He taught the Father shared His “fullness,” His superabundance, with the Son. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, enabled reconciliation of people to the Father through His sinless life, death, and resurrection. By these, He redeems each person who trusts in Him from the power of sin and death. Jesus paid the sin penalty for each person with His death on a sinner’s cross. (see Superabundant Peace)

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:21-23 using a teaching and writing technique called conditional clauses. These “if-then” statements, protasis-apodosis statements, teach if something happens, then another thing will occur. Paul used this technique to teach if the Colossian Christians would believe in Jesus, He would save them from their sins and their just death penalty. Before this conditional clause, he reminded them of what they were before God rescued and transferred them to His Son’s kingdom. Paul told the Colossian church the Son redeems and reconciles them to God. Nothing else need happen for people to receive salvation from their sins and gain eternal life with God. The Gnostics taught otherwise. (see Attaining Hope)

With the conclusion of Colossians 1, Paul told, in verses twenty-four through twenty-nine, of his calling by Jesus and his stewardship of God upon which he felt compelled to proclaim. His calling was to serve Christ and His church by proclaiming clearly the Gospel. Within the act of clearly proclaiming, Paul said God told him to teach and admonish. He was to preach the “word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from past ages and generations.” The mystery that God hid until then is that Jesus made salvation available for each person, Jew and Greek, slave and free, men and woman. Paul explained the blessing of this mystery is salvation and the indwelling of each believer by Jesus’ Spirit, the hope of glory. Jesus Christ made all things, redeems those who trust in Him, and indwells each believer. Finally, Paul said in verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine, Jesus called him to admonish with God’s gentle persuasion. This persuasion would tell of His love for each person and the salvation Jesus offers. It would convince and convict each person to turn away from their sins and accept the salvation Jesus provides. By doing this, God rescues and transfers people who act upon the faith He gives. He transfers them to the kingdom of His Son by their trust in Jesus as their Savior for salvation. The Gnostics taught against this point. They strove to prove it to anyone who would listen to them about their philosophical thought on advanced religion. The Gnostics said Jesus was just a man and His death did not give salvation. Paul taught otherwise. (see God's Power and Gentle Persuasion)

Paul’s Pastoral Care of the Colossian Church

Paul had a pastoral care for the Christians in Colossae, though he had never met them. His concern came from the love which Jesus instilled in him. This love is for each person to become a Christian and grow in the full knowledge of God with His power, steadfastness, strength, and patience. Paul wanted these Christians to have the full knowledge of God so they could stand against heresies, thoughts, and beliefs that tried to convince them to abandon God. He struggled for them. This care of the Colossian Christians by Paul included rejoicing at the growth and stability in their faith in Christ. His own struggles and resultant rejoicing during and after the difficulties showed Paul’s pastoral care of the Colossian and Laodicean churches.

Struggling for the Church

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.”  (Colossians 2:1-4 [NASB])

Paul said he struggled on behalf of the churches at Colossae and Laodicea. He wanted them to be aware and understand well what he endured for them. This struggle is like his striving wrote about in Colossians 1:29. In Colossians 1:29, the striving connoted a striving or struggling like in an athletic contest or in warfare, battling difficulties and dangers. In Colossians 2:1, Paul’s struggle is his internal battle of wanting to be in Colossae to confront the heresy with them while he was in prison. It concerned Paul that the Colossian Christians could not fight the fallacies of the false teachers. As a teacher of the Gospel, Paul struggled and fought with them by writing the truths the Christians needed to know and remember to counter the heresies taught in these cities.

Paul’s concern for the Colossians is four-fold. His first concern was that, while they struggled and lived with these false teachers, their hearts would receive encouragement. Paul wanted these believers to experience comfort and strength because Jesus is their Savior. He wanted them to know and remember they have the hope of an eternal reward with Jesus in heaven. Paul wanted these Christians to remember to hold fast to the fact they do not combat life alone but are with other believers and God is with them.

Later, in verse two, Paul said he wanted them to remember Christ united them in love with other Christians. They did not live through hardships alone. The Christians had the love of Christ in them, knitting them into a oneness to help, encourage, and stand with each other. This love was not the phileo love of the Greeks. It was not love for mankind. This love Paul wrote about is God’s agape love. God’s character defines it. He is the fount of agape love.

Paul concerned himself with reminding the believers in Colossae and Laodicea that they “attain to all the wealth” that comes from being a believer in Jesus Christ. This wealth is like the “riches of God’s glory” in Colossians 1:27. Just as those riches, the wealth is the mystery of God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Paul worked to make sure these believers remembered what they gained within themselves when they trusted in Jesus. This wealth of their faith, the saving knowledge of Jesus, comes from the full assurance of understanding. The full assurance is complete confidence and conviction of insight in the knowledge God gives about His mystery. Remember, God gives faith to people. People must act upon that faith, seek Him, and trust in Jesus for salvation to “attain all the wealth” that comes from God. Acting upon this faith results in a “true knowledge of God’s mystery,” in knowing Jesus Christ Himself (vs 2).

Paul, in his pastoral concern for the believers in Colossae and Laodicea, made sure they knew the mystery is true knowledge and wisdom found only in Christ. In Colossians 1:27, the mystery was Christ living in the Gentiles. In Colossians 2:3, Christ holds within Himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Again, Paul used the terms riches and wealth. The wisdom and knowledge of God are treasures and are in Christ. This countered what the Gnostics taught that the way to God and salvation is through philosophical thoughts. The only way to have the highest wisdom and knowledge, God’s wisdom and knowledge, is through Jesus Christ. The path is first to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, then get the knowledge hidden in Him. A person’s trying to get absolute knowledge first as the way to get salvation, as the Gnostics taught, is impossible. Included in the salvation Jesus Christ gives are all wisdom and knowledge, not just what a mortal being can conceive. It includes all the riches in God’s storehouses. Why content yourself with Gnostic teaching when you can go above and beyond that. God has superabundant knowledge and wisdom hidden in Jesus Christ, and when you accept Him as the Son of God and trust in Him for salvation, you have this wisdom and knowledge available to you.

The last struggle Paul mentions he has for the Christians in these two cities is to ensure the false teachers do not delude them by persuasive arguments but, instead stand firm in their conviction of salvation through Christ. He wrote to these people to make sure false teachers did not beguile them into trusting in a false teaching. The words “persuasive argument” come from the Greek word pithanologia, a speech made intending to persuade someone to one’s way of thinking. This way of speaking strives to gain an acolyte to one’s beliefs. Contrary to that is God’s gentle persuasion to lead people to truth and salvation. God’s gentle persuasion comes from the two Greek words pistis/pistos and prosecheuchomai. These words in English are faith and prayer. Remember, God gives each person faith for them to act upon and trust in Jesus for their salvation. Added to this, as we pray and commune with God, His indwelling Spirit puts into our heart, soul, and mind those things for which He cares about so we can pray in agreement with Him. God’s persuasion benefits the listener, not the speaker. The Gnostics spoke for their own benefit to get people on their side.

Paul struggled like an athlete or soldier to keep the Christians in the churches in Colossae and Laodicea strong in their faith as they stood against the false teachings in their cities. He reminded them Christ united them in faith with each other and with Himself. They were knitted together in love for God and each other with God’s unifying love for each of them. The Christians already had all the wealth of the true knowledge of God’s mystery, Jesus Christ. Hidden within Him are God’s treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Why put trust in the partial knowledge the Gnostics proclaim when they have Jesus, who is all the wisdom and knowledge of God. Finally, Paul reminded these believers not to fall for the persuasion of the Gnostics who seek only to get more acolytes. Instead, stay steadfast in the faith, knowledge, and wisdom you received from God through Jesus. The first type of persuasion is egocentric, while God’s persuasion is other-centered.

Rejoicing Because of the Church

“For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:5 [NASB])

Paul’s pastoral concern went beyond struggling within himself for the Christians because he could not be with them to fight the false teachers. As a man with a pastor’s heart, he rejoiced for and because of them, too. To grow a church and be part of a church requires growing in easy and hard times and the resultant rejoicing at where God has taken grown it.

In verse five, Paul reminded the Colossian and Laodicean churches he stood with them. Though they may have felt they stood alone in their contest with the Gnostics, Paul struggled with them. He was with them in spirit and proved it with his letter to the Colossians. Paul stood with them in the same Spirit and in the joining of their heart and purpose. He identified with these churches and with Christ. Paul rejoiced over them. He rejoiced over their “good discipline.” This phrase has a military connotation. It means to be in an orderly array, like in military ranks, so they are ready for whatever may come. These Christians had grown and were ready to battle the false teachings like an army ready to fight its enemy.

Along with that, Paul rejoiced to see the “stability of their faith in Christ.” This stability means being immoveable or having a solid front like a military battalion standing ready for battle. The Colossian and Laodicean believers were immoveable in their faith, in their persuasion, of who Jesus is. They understood Jesus Christ is the mystery. He holds all knowledge and wisdom and gives salvation to all who trust in Him. These Christians were steadfast because of their discipling by Epaphras and their spiritual growth as they met obstacles and relied on God to lead them. The Gnostics had moveable benchmarks for what they considered advanced thought. Each person based his or her idea of advanced thought on his or her own thinking. Whatever a person determined was never the ultimate. Only God’s superabundant knowledge, wisdom, and understanding can be the standard. Christ gives from this fount to each person who believes in Him as the Son of God. Paul rejoiced that the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea stood their ground in their faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul had a pastoral concern for the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea. They faced the Gnostic idea that advanced thought raises a person to the spiritual realm and saves him or her from evil. The Gnostics considered all things material as evil and all things spiritual as good. Colossian Christians battled this heresy. Paul wrote to encourage them and to rejoice at the way they steadfastly stood while battling this false teaching. He encouraged them and reminded them of their unity in God’s agape love. Paul wrote to remind them of their attaining all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, which results in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, Christ Himself. He taught them the mystery is Christ in them from chapter one. He then stated the mystery is that Christ is the wisdom of God. Because of this, they had access to God’s full wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Paul wrote to encourage the churches so no false teachers could delude (persuade) them to follow a manmade belief. Besides writing to encourage the Christians, Paul rejoiced over their growth so they could be ready for whatever false teaching tried to trick them into considering something Epaphras did not teach them. He rejoiced that the Colossian and Laodicean churches were steadfast and immoveable in their faith in Christ, even though the Gnostics had persuasive arguments. Paul’s letter was the letter of a pastor who cared for his flock, his church given to him by God to lead and protect.

Thoughts to Consider

Have you heard that doing enough good deeds during your life will earn your entrance to heaven? Have you heard that this life now is all you get, so do what you want no matter the consequences? These and other thoughts are manmade ideas to appease them of their sinfulness. Possibly, these thoughts came from Satan to assuage guilt and keep people tricked and not knowing the absolute truth. Satan’s thoughts and, often, humankind’s thoughts are untrue. They do not originate with God. The truth is agape love originates with God. Created things originated with God. Salvation originates from God with Jesus’ gift of His life as the sin sacrifice. The resultant knowledge of God’s mystery, Jesus Christ, and His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, comes to the people who believe in Him with the faith He gives to trust in Jesus as the Son of God and receive salvation from sins.

Questions:

• What have you heard about life after death?
• What do you feel when you do wrong things?
• Do you proclaim your insights about heaven?
• Are your proclamations the same as Paul’s?
•  Do you proclaim these insights to get people to assume you have more profound thoughts than they have heard?
• Whose teaching do you trust is being the right way to heaven?
• What keeps you from believing in Jesus as the Son of God and your Savior?

For next week’s Bible study, read Colossians 2, especially concentrate on Colossians 2:6-7.

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” (Colossians 2:6-7 [NASB])